On Monday, in the Wall Street Journal’s Political Diary (available by subscription), Mary Anastasia O’Grady wrote about how Oliver Stone’s film South of the Border, “which lauds Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chávez as the nation’s messiah, has flopped spectacularly in, of all places, Venezuela”
To be fair, the film is about more than Mr. Chávez. It also praises the region’s latest crop of left-wing authoritarians, from Bolivia’s Evo Morales, Ecuador’s Rafael Correa, Brazil’s Lula da Silva and Mr. Stone’s favorite Latin bad boy, Fidel Castro. In Mr. Stone’s mind, however, none is more unjustly maligned than Mr. Chávez. The director pulls no punches in his admiration for the Bolivarian bully. “I think he is an extremely dynamic and charismatic figure,” he told the press last year. “He is open and good-hearted, as well as a fascinating personality.”
And this got me wondering why so many liberals in America’s cultural élite, particularly self-described intellectuals. have become so fascinated with despotic rulers like Chávez and Castro. (I doubt their views would change if they talked to some of the refugees from those tyrannical paradises, including a number of gay people of my acquaintance.)
For such cultural élitists, a critique of Western society has become admiration for, if not adoration of, its enemies, no matter how diabolical their ideas or record (in office). These tyrants may preside over systems far worse than those the élite criticize, but so long as they oppose such systems, they are (to the élite at least) by definition, worthy of adulation.
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*and other demagogues.
Drugs.
This stopped being a mystery to me when I learned that fascism is a left-wing movement (or a sub-type of socialism – another being e.g. communism), and realized that today’s left-liberalism is America’s version of fascism.
In that light, wondering why American leftists are fascinated by left-wing dictators would be like wondering why Roman Catholics are fascinated with the Pope, or why Brits are fascinated with the Queen.
Funny how none of them emigrate there. That speaks volumes.
It’s not understand. The will of the people always obstructs the imposition of progressive Utopia. (e.g. ObamaCare). They admire those who can implement progressive policy without this “distraction” of giving the people a say.
The essence of being a liberal progressive is to believe you know what’s best for everybody, and everybody is just too stupid to appreciate your magnificence and righteousness. Conservatives, on the other hand, tend to believe that most people can work things out for themselves.
Behind every Socialist is a Totalitarian dieing to get out (or at least willing to let so many OTHERS die to achieve their idea of Utopia). What’s the Animal Farm line about some are more equal than others?
I know that I am off subject but I am curious about the anti-gay platform of the GOP that seems to have hit the gay news in the last couple of days. What the heck is going on in Texas? I read about it on BoxTurtlebulletin today.
And wannabe dictator, Salvador Sanchez Ceren, the Vice President of El Salvador is vociferous on breaking relations with the U.S. and ally the country with Chavez. President Funes is intent on being more moderate and has insisted on maintaining good relations with the U.S and models himself after Barak Obama and Lula de Silva. In the one year with the FMLN as the majority party violent crime has risen. Either they are impotent or collaboraters. This past weekend either Ms or 18TH Street, set a bus loaded with pasengers on fire. Those who tried to escape through the windows were shot. Among the victims was atwo year old boy and an 11 year girl. As for Chavez, this year he has nationalized the cement industry, banks and a supermarket chain.
The media failed to notice that Colombians voted for another right wing candidatre to serve as president by 69% for Santos to 28% for the opposition. In the last nine months the right has captured Panama, Honduras, Chile and held on to Colombia. I don´t think it is failr to include Lula de Silva with the ALBA group. He is friendly and went out of his way to please Chavez by allowing deposed President Mel Zelaya to live in the Brazlian Embassy in Tegulcigalpa. But he is in the final years of his mandate he has no intentions of amending his country´s constitution, which by the way Ortega got a pass from his packed court to allow him to seek a second term. He has said the next elections will not have international observers. You know that means stuffed ballot boxes.
Since the left wing elite in the US is enamored with dictators, I am surprised they haven´t encouraged Congressman Jay Sandoval to move forward on his intent to have the Twenty Second Amendment repealed by a Twenty Third Amendment which would allow Barak Obama to seek third and forth terms as POTUS.
As HotAir reported Dhimmy Carter is sulking he can’t pal around with terrorists anymore.
As to the TX thing, I don’t know what the Republicans are doing. I think that while states should have the authority reserved to them, I don’t think they should.
The left’s fascination with leftist thugs goes way back. How about the support of the Soviet Union during horrors of Stalin.
Oliver Stone = idiot
Wait a minute — I thought Cuba was a workers’ paradise? Same as North Korea.
Cuba and N Korea are examples of successful socialist countries. 🙂
I have a big heart for fiscal/national security Conservative Republicans.
Someone who can really stop illegal immigration, radical Islam, neighborhood crime rates, while fixing the federal debt/economy and upholding the true principles of the U.S. Constitution. I and a lot of Americans truly want to see this happen. Now.
I am not interested in libertarians, liberal democrats, social conservatives or Obama.
P.S. I am against abortion, but no problem with it under certain circumstances, though. I don’t want those gay fetuses being aborted-on-demand by loony liberal mothers, haha!